COUNCILLORS are to debate the next phase of Coventry's Herbert Art Gallery's multi-million pound development.

The plans are going before a full meeting of Coventry City Council on Tuesday when councillors will be asked to agree to press ahead with phase two of the project.

If given the green light it will lead to an £18 million transformation of the Jordan Well gallery.

The scheme, which was nearly shelved last year after Tory council-lors dropped it from their budget, is only going ahead after the Alan Edward Higgs Trust stepped in with a £3 million loan.

An old charitable trust - the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum Trust - has been revived so that it can legally accept the loan.

Plans have been under discussion since last autumn, and council officers have worked with Coventry University to make sure the scheme does not conflict with the university's expansion, which involves a new four-storey building next to the Herbert.

Councillor Gary Ridley, cabinet member for culture, libraries and leisure, said: "These plans will see the Herbert transformed into a major visitor attraction, attracting thousands more people into our city and helping us improve the variety of cultural activities on offer."

He said roughly 60,000 people a year visit the new look Herbert.

Plans going before the councillors include a new history centre, history exhibitions, gallery spaces for national and international exhibitions and the refurbishment of existing buildings to create new exhibition spaces and educational facilities.

If the plans are approved on Tuesday, work could begin as soon as next month, and be completed by 2008.